


Malfunctions

by ProxiCentauri



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-15 23:15:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7242814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProxiCentauri/pseuds/ProxiCentauri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Data is experiencing some unexplained malfunctions. Geordi jokingly suggests it sounds like he's got a crush, but Data takes him seriously.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Malfunctions

**Author's Note:**

> Tbh, something like this has probably been written 1,000 times before, but I'm a total sucker for clichés.

"Hello, Geordi," Data said, stepping into engineering. A lieutenant bustled past him, toting a stack of data padds. Business hummed along as everyone prepared to engage warp and move onto their next mission.

Geordi looked up from the wall-mounted console he was tinkering on with a grin. "Hey, Data. How'd the away mission go?"

"It was successful. All the medical supplies have been delivered to the colony and emergency clean up and disposal procedures have cleared the area of all debris from the quake."

"Hey that's great," Geordi called over his shoulder as he bent back into the panel. He snapped a circuit back into position and began reconnecting the wires. "I'm sure the colony will get back on their feet in no time." Another lieutenant on the other side of the room called to Geordi, who trotted to the monitor he was fretting over. Data stepped up to the table in the center. He folded his arms behind his back as he watched the two.

"This looks like an easy fix. You just have to reset interface aaand..." Geordi said, tapping a few commands into the console, which responded with an optimistic beep and began scrolling through data. "Fixed!" He stepped away, surrendering the panel to the dumbstruck Lieutenant Lopez.

"Thank you, sir!" Lopez said.

Geordi smiled, giving Lopez a comradely pat on the back. "Don't mention it. Just do that whenever the connection starts acting fussy." He turned to find Data staring from behind the table. If it was anyone else, Geordi might have been creeped out, but by now he'd gotten used to android's mannerisms. Politely waiting for a conversation to end before speaking was something Data picked up on, but not silently looming from across the room could use some improvement. He decided to mention it to him later.

"There something you needed from me, Data?" Geordi asked.

"Actually, there is. I came to ask for your assistance in running some diagnostic tests on me." He amended, glancing at the exposed panel, "That is, if I am not interrupting your work. I did wait until you were off duty."

Geordi stopped when he heard that, detouring from his path back to the panel to stand by Data's side. "No no, you're not interrupting anything. I was just playing around back there," Geordi said. He took Data's arm and led him to a seat, sitting down adjacent to him, brow creased with concern. "What's up?"

"I have been experiencing some rather," Data paused, "unusual symptoms as of late. I have run several self-diagnostics, but all have turned up negative. I am hoping these tests will be more enlightening. I suggest we start with my speech processor and bodily functions programming."

Geordi nodded, the worry lines deepening. He stood up, giving Data's knee a pat as he went. Data turned his head, allowing Geordi to pop open the compartment in the back of his skull and expose his positronic brain. Geordi skillfully joined it with another nearby panel on the wall. Double checking the connections he said, "Okay, all good here, beginning the diagnostics." He reclaimed his seat and leaned forward on the edge of the table, looking to Data. "Now what's going on? Why didn't you go see Beverly about this instead of waiting for me?"

"I believe you will be more successful in detecting the symptoms," Data said.

Geordi shook his head. "Beverly knows your circuitry just as well as me."

Data cocked his head, looking past Geordi as he chose his words carefully. "This is a unique situation," he said, finally.

Geordi just stared at Data with a frown, as if he could discern more from the cryptic answer by studying his expression. Data's blank face, however, didn't reveal any more secrets, and Geordi broke away to check the results that were now rolling down the panel on the wall. He shook his head. "Your respiratory system is running a little rapidly right now and your internal temperature is on the high side, but it's nothing I'd worry about. And I can't find anything wrong with your speech processor." He sighed. "I'm sorry, Data, but I don't see anything here. Want me to keep running test?"

"Yes, move on to my lower functions."

Geordi punched the command in and quickly returned to his seat, catching Data's eye. "You know, it'd help if I knew just what I was looking for here. What's so unusual about these symptoms of yours?"

"They are unusual as they are sensations I have not experienced before, and I can find no malfunction or logical cause to account for their sudden appearance. I have noticed that during the past 1.16 days my respiratory system has been functioning erratically, often running more rapidly and more shallow than normal, as you detected before. My speech processor has also been prone to such fluctuations. I find myself reverting to babbling in some instances while in other instances I have difficultly completing just one thought. I have often caught myself repeating words, beginning sentences for a second time, or, in some cases, completely delayed in forming coherent sentences. Most curiously, all my symptoms seem to correlate to my proximity to and thoughts about a crewmember or crewmembers, which I have narrowed down to the likeliest possible candidate." A snort from Geordi stopped Data in his analysis, who now sat giggling in his seat. "Have I said something humorous?"

"No no, Data, it's not that." Geordi gave him an amused grin, shaking his head in a silent laugh. "It's just that, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a crush."

Data cocked his head. "A crush," he repeated. "I studied crushes when I attempted a romantic relationship with Lieutenant D'Sora. It was not my understanding that crushes were a humorous topic."

"They're not usually, but the thought of you getting nervous and flustered around someone is." Geordi started giggling again. "You, tongue-tied? I'd actually like to see that."

"Interesting," Data said thoughtfully. "However, you know I am incapable of experiencing a crush as-"

"You are an android," Geordi said at the same time as Data, sighing out the tired, old line. "Right, I know it's impossible, but I'm not sure what to tell you," he said, dragging himself back up to the console. "We're not coming up with anything here. I'll keep running tests, but if we haven't found anything by now, I'm not optimistic." He propped his hands on his hips, studying the data that scrolled down the screen. "Maybe we're approaching this from the wrong direction," he said, more to himself than to Data. He continued with his divergent ideas, whispering about preliminary theories and approaches under this breath. It was Data that interrupted his musings.

"Geordi, how would you go about relieving the symptoms of a 'crush'?" Data asked

Geordi stammered, caught off kilter by the question. "It's not exactly so simple. You don't just 'cure' a crush." He folded his arms, chewing on the words for a second before beginning again with a nervous laugh. "I'm not sure I'm the best person for this question." He sighed, leaning back against the wall, looking up in thought.  "I guess usually I'd ask the person out on a date, take them somewhere nice, share an evening together, hold hands, stuff like that." He rubbed the back of his neck, stiffly shrugging his shoulders. "Or sometimes I just leave the person alone until I get over it. I don't know. Maybe you should go see Troi again for something like this."

Data hummed in thought, apparently too preoccupied with mulling over the information to reply. Geordi took the opportunity to distract himself with the diagnostics again. System after system flashed down the screen, displaying a relieving but disappointing report that every program checked was functioning normally. Geordi kept the tests going, delving further and further into Data's systems as the display tediously rolled on through a thickening silence. Geordi glanced over his shoulder to check on Data, who remained uncharacteristically quiet. His face had hardened into a focused frown, which eventually resolved itself into a flimsy look of resolve.

A hesitant "Geordi?" drew his attention again and he spun around to wholly face Data. "I would-" Data stuttered to a stop and began again. "Would you-" he broke the sentence off again, letting his mouth hang open wordlessly. Sharply looking away, he said "It appears my speech processor is malfunctioning again."

Suddenly the humor in seeing Data tongue-tied was gone, replaced with a cold anxiety. "Hang on, I'll check it," Geordi said.

"Actually," Data interrupted, rushing out his request before Geordi could turn away, "I believe we should go to the holodeck instead."

Geordi stopped, folding his arms. "The holodeck?"

"I know the beaches of Kaddo are programmed in there," Data said, bustling through his words with all the speed and grace of a spooked horse. "They are often visited for their beauty due to the purple sands and glowing waters caused by a bioluminescent organism that lives near the bays. The purple sands are the result of a chemical reaction between the minerals and the atmosphere. Activities such as swimming and a unique sport called 'lato ball' can be played on the beaches as well. It is similar to your Earth volleyball, but involves only two players and utilizes several different types of balls. It is, of course, not evening yet; however, the holodeck can be appropriately programmed to simulate what an evening would be like on Kaddo." Geordi blinked blankly as Data plowed on. "Of course, a livelier destination could also be arranged. The festival on Trem, for example, is another possibility. Many visitors have reported the performers to be entertaining and it is a popular romantic destination. There, one can even be taught how to replicate their tricks, like fire juggling." Data frowned. "Of course, such activities could make hand holding difficult."

Like an outdated computer booting up, things finally came to light in Geordi's mind. Without thinking, he interrupted the android's tangent. "Data I- I'm-" Geordi sputtered. He opened and closed his mouth, a blush creeping up his cheeks.

Data stopped, eyes snapping to Geordi, waiting expectantly for him to finish. When nothing came, he hastily sprung out of his seat. He looked down. "I apologize, Geordi. It appears I misinterpreted your advice. I will leave you alone," he said, his fingers fumbling with the wires connected to his head.

Geordi shook off the surprise in time to grab Data's hands and stop him from leaving. "Data Data, hey. I didn't ask you to go. I'm just," he trailed off, letting a surprised laugh finish the sentence for him. He grinned and could feel his face start to tingle both with how wide he was smiling and the blush still staining his cheeks. "Well, I guess I was caught a little off guard." He lowered their hands, intertwining them as he held them aloft between their chests.

Data's gaze followed their hands, lingering as Geordi held them in place. He swallowed and looked back up to Geordi. Softly he said, "I do not believe holding hands has relived the symptoms of the 'crush'."

Geordi laughed, reaching one hand up to disconnect Data himself. "Maybe we should try that beach then."


End file.
